Photographs I have taken in Southeastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin over the past 5 years are now on exhibit at the Anderson Center in Red Wing MN. The exhibition, titled American Heartland, is a two person exhibit with William Pringle Rodman. Rodman, a Minneapolis photographer, has been photographing in many of the same areas in Minnesota and Wisconsin during the past few years. All of the photographs in the exhibit were made with film. I shoot 4X5 color but do make digital pigment prints. Bill Rodman shoots 35mm black and white film and makes conventional darkroom prints.

The gallery is open 9-4 Mon -Thur and 9-12 on Fri. The show is up through March 13th. . National Geographic Traveler magazine recently named the Anderson Center, along with the Walker Art Center, Weisman Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Arts and Guthrie theatre as one of the five most important arts institutions in Minnesota. Click on the image above left to see a larger version of the exhibition announcement. See the Anderson Center Website for more information

Photograph of the opening by Michael Lougee Copyright 2009. Click on the image on the left to see a larger photograph.

As is bring covered in both the Minnesota media and photo and art blogs across the country, the Minnesota Center for Photography closed its doors today. MCP began as pARTS, a small gallery above an auto body shop that had a certain charm in spite of its smelling like paint so bad you often felt you needed an oxygen mask to enter. It then moved to a basement on Lake Street and eventually became MCP. A third move took them to a beautiful gallery in a former photo studio in the up and coming art neighborhood of Northeast Minneapolis. For the sake of full disclosure I will say I was in a group show at each of the first and second locations, and taught two classes in the darkroom during their first year at the final location. I never had any official connection to the organization however, so these are my own thoughts as a former Minnesota photographer who now lives nearby in Wisconsin (and since I am ineligible for most of the benefits of the MN fine art photo world, I am just an innocent bystanderó but, with a bit of history).

Although the closing is being presented as a surprise by some, rumors have been circulating for months. And although it is being presented as a sign of the economy or lackluster fundraising, the rumors have pointed to excessive spending, using operating budget funds for programing, staff conflict (that one is at least 10 years old however), overly ambitious shows of international photography (the recent Three Gorges China show is often mentioned), or the move to the more expensive space four years ago. However, I think there was a bigger problemólack of support from the Minnesota photo community.

News reports point to the broad based support MCP had in the community, however discussions I have had over the years with board members and staff have pointed to the opposite. On a couple of occasions in recent years I had sent students to events at MCP. When I asked their impressions, they invariably came back and reported the same thing: "It was just a bunch of old people." I am reminded of a friend in Japan who used to say, in less than perfect English, "It is the taste of old men." I know this was not just a MCP problem. At another arts institution in Minneapolis I had a friend approach me at an opening and exclaim: "Photography is alive and well in Minneapolis, just look at the crowd here." I looked around, and upon not seeing anyone under 50 said: "It may not be dead yet, but if you stand on your tiptoes you can see the end in this room." Where were the young photographers? I would guess they were just not very interested in much of what MCP had to offer, nor did they feel a part of it. Maybe if MCP had not turned its back on the young local photographers and paid so much attention (and money it seems) to out of town talent it would have gotten more support.

A bigger issue however is that the Minnesota fine art photography scene has always had a heavy dose of animosity hanging in the air. This is another topic a board member and a former staff member told me in private. Some blame it on the perception of too much grant money going to the same few people. Or a variation on that, the same people being asked to show their work at invitational or "juried" showsóthe MCP Photo Lotto / Bravo being a case in point for many in the community. Others blame the lack of support for local artists from the Walker, or the second class status of local artists at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Still others see the sometimes nasty competition between the University of Minnesota's Art Department and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. The removal of the McKnight Grant from the U of MN and moving it to MCP also brought forth an attack of venom in the community over the past few years. (Again for disclosure, I did teach full time at the U of MN Art department, and classes and workshops at MCAD, but left them both over a dozen years ago. I also was in Photo Lotto / Bravo a few times, but not at the current location, and got my McKnight Grant back when Film in the Cities gave them out over 20 years ago).

Is this problem just the way photographers are? According to a former staff member, and from what I have seen, the ill will of Minneapolis fine art photographers is not present in other cities; Los Angeles being a perfect example. Nor do I see it amongst the artists of out-state Minnesota or rural Wisconsin where I now live. In fact I see just the opposite; we all work together for the joint good of the local arts community. I certainly did not see problems amongst commercial photographers in Minnesota when I was on the board of the Minnesota Commercial Industrial Photographer Association. From photo journalists I also hear of the strong support they often give one another. So what is up with the Twin Cites fine art photographers? Maybe it is time to take a good hard look at WHY.

Going under the bridge on the back channel of the Mississippi River last night. The swallows have left their mud nests now. It is amazing they stay up there with all the traffic and road construction this year. Cell phone photo by David Husom. Copyright 2008 by David Husom.

Lake Pepin in the spring. Mississippi River flooding had kept the boats from going into the harbors yet, so it is a very peaceful scene. Cell phone photo by David Husom. Copyright 2008 by David Husom

Documenting the Ashland Ore Dock for the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER)

Sunday, April 13, 2008, 03:08 PM

I recently completed a project for the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) documenting the old Soo Line Railroad ore docks in Ashland Wisconsin. Built in 1915, the 1800 foot long 80 foot high dock has not been used since 1965 and is literaly falling down into Lake Superior. It is the last of five docks that at one time served northern Wisconsin's ore industry. Although controversial, the dock could not be saved.

But, since the dock is deemed an important historic structure, the current owner was required to have the structure documented before demolition could begin. The documentary photographs needed to meet Library of Congress archival standards, requiring 4X5 black and white film and making traditional (not digital) prints. Also since parts of the dock are only accessible by crossing the ice, the photographs had to be taken in the winter. I lucked out and had a perfect, almost balmy, 30 degree day.

I admit that I normally work in color, but the truth is that black and white negatives are still the most archival medium. However I could not help but make a few color images as well. The inside of the dock was like a cathedral. What a wonderful space!

Click on the image to see a larger version of the dock interior from the water-end. Photo Copyright 2008 by David Husom.

The Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) collection is a part of the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress. Eventually the photos will be available online for researchers: